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Queen Elizabeth and the ‘Mask of Youth’

Queen Elizabeth (after Zuchero) by Henry Bone (1755-1834) in the Drawing room at Kingston Lacy, Dorset. One of the collection of enamel miniature on copper.
Queen Elizabeth (after Zuchero) by Henry Bone (1755-1834) in the Drawing room at Kingston Lacy, Dorset. One of the collection of enamel miniature on copper. | © National Trust Images/Derrick E. Witty

The ‘Mask of Youth’ is a term given to portraits and miniatures of Queen Elizabeth I which adopted a standardised image of ageless beauty. Such representations followed state proclamations prohibiting the distribution of images of Elizabeth which gave ‘great offence’. Learn more about the ‘Mask of Youth’ from collections at the places in our care.

Strength and stability

‘Mask of Youth’ imagery arose from a government decision in 1594 to use an idealised portrait format. A possible reason for its adoption was that it was felt that any lifelike depiction of the ageing queen would reinforce instability within the realm, due to the uncertainty over the succession. 

A tool for propaganda 

The ‘Mask of Youth’ therefore offered a mechanism for Elizabeth’s government to control her image for propagandistic reasons, maintaining a strong profile of the unmarried and childless queen as still a forceful protector of the land.

Political tokens

The miniature depicted below was possibly commissioned by Sir Thomas Vavasour, one of Elizabeth’s gentlemen of the court. It is believed to have been produced by Nicholas Hilliard in the 1590s and is one of the finest and largest miniatures of Queen Elizabeth I to employ the 'Mask of Youth'.

Promotion from the court

It was common practice for courtiers to commission these miniatures, as Elizabeth often expected her courtiers and nobles to promote her image. It became fashionable to wear them as symbols of the wearer’s devotion and loyalty to the monarch, and they were then often made into pendants and cameos.

Portrait miniature, oil on vellum, Queen Elizabeth I by Nicholas Hilliard
Queen Elizabeth I by Nicholas Hilliard | © National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel

More than a portrait

Instead of this miniature being purely a visual depiction of Elizabeth, the primary focus is the promotion of the glory and majesty of kingship, exemplified by the magnificence of her gown and jewels.  Her dress incorporates other imagery, with the V-shape of the waist possibly representing virginity and chastity.

Representing Cynthia, the moon goddess

Within Elizabeth’s headdress there is a jewel shaped like a crescent moon which has been seen by some to represent Cynthia, the Greek moon goddess. Its inclusion here may represent Elizabeth’s beauty to be like the waxing and waning of the moon.

Examples of the ‘Mask of Youth’ in the collections we care for

Pictures and miniatures hang in the Green Closet at Ham House, London
Miniatures hang in the Green Closet at Ham House, London | © National Trust Images/John Hammond

Queen Elizabeth I by Nicholas Hilliard at Ham House

You can see Nicholas Hilliard’s miniature of Elizabeth I at Ham House near Richmond, where it is kept in the ‘Green Closet’. This room is the only example in Britain of a picture closet complete with its original collection of 87 highly prized miniatures.

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The cult of Elizabeth?

Some have argued that these miniatures represent a replacement of the cult of the Virgin Mary, however this is problematic as such movement would have been open to accusations of idolatry, or the worship of idols. 

Secular or religious?

An alternative reading is that these images were a general promotion of the divinity of the monarchy. With a focus on classical imagery associated with Cynthia or representations of virginity, it has been argued that this promotion was of secular rather than religious nature.

Personal promotion

These miniatures may have been linked to the personal advancement of the buyer, promoting their wealth and social standing. 

On the other hand, they may have been symbols of a courtly, chivalric love which centred upon promoting virtues of loyalty and duty to the public good. This was a sentiment embodied by the queen herself. On balance, they were probably a mixture of the two.

Cork model of Horse Guards' Parade in front of a fireplace at Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lode Mill, Cambridgeshire

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